Panda Internet Security gave us polar opposite results during our virus and malware tests. For virus detection and removal, Panda did an abysmal job. However, for real time antivirus protection, Panda did an outstanding job.

For the tests, we'd first infect our test computers with a host of malware samples including viruses, trojans, adware, rogueware, etc.

We then activate Panda Internet Security and run a full system scan and record the results on each PC with each sample set.

Panda reported zero threats were found but nearly 80% were blocked. What's going on here?

How did Panda "block" our malware but not "detect" them in the first place?

That said, we didn't find any malware lurking in the background ready to pounce, but that's little comfort knowing that all our malware was still present in some form on our testing PCs. Malware is too tricky these days to leave it just lying around like that.

Now for the polar opposite. Our real-time testing showed Panda to be highly effective. With a fresh, updated installation of Panda, we attempted to download and install a wide range of malware.

Panda made short work of them. Not only did Panda immediately start to delete our malware files, but anything we even tried to install was blocked before we could blink. Very impressive.

As for Panda's antiphishing capabilities, they were only able to block phishing sites about 70% of the time.

So, is it better to have great real-time protection but bad virus removal?

Only slightly, but both components are extremely important for overall security. Unfortunately, Panda Internet Security doesn't make the cut.

Firewall Protection: 73%

A firewall is a vital security feature that helps keep the bad guys out of your PC by strictly regulating the flow of traffic to and from your computer. For this reason, a solid firewall is your first and best line of defense against malware.

Panda's firewall proved more porous than we'd like, however.

Aside from leaving ports open, never a good thing, Panda wasn't able to pass any of our standard firewall blocking tests.

A good firewall should have all access points either well monitored or blocked entirely. Panda Internet Security only proved marginally successful at this task.

Resource Usage: 83%

Resource usage was a little heavier than we'd like to see, but still acceptable. When running a full scan, Panda Internet Security only slowed down our testing PCs about 10%.

We were still able to perform basic computer functions like surfing and downloading large files with no trouble.

Boot-up time was almost 7% slower than their competitors, but that's still well within the acceptable range to most consumers.

Panda's user interface is a massive improvement over last year's version (or any year for that matter.)

It's very simple, clean, and easy to use.

All important features are easily accessible and easy to understand. There are a few options for deeper accessibility, and even those are well-labeled and easy to use.

Yes, it was a long overdue revision, but when something is done right, it's done right. This UI is done right.

Technical Support: 50%

Last year's Panda tech support nightmares (including a suit by the FTC brought against their outsourced tech support provider "Advanced Tech Support") are a thing of the past, and Panda's support has clearly improved since then.

Our test calls from the U.S. were quickly and coureously answered by their Indian call center; however, with each rep we spoke and discussed fees, getting them to commit to a price was tricky. Six month commitment for this. One-time fees for that.

When it was finally clear what we were paying for, the sticker price was $130 for virus removal.

With ESET and VIPRE offering free phone support from the U.S., and even Norton getting on board with free support, how a lesser-known brand like Panda can justify the high fees is a mystery.